Improvement in devices for reefing and furling sails



`WILLIAM SPEAIt, OF CAPE ELIZABETH, MAINE.

Letters Patent No. 111,694, dated February 7, 1871; antedated February 4,1871.

IMPROVEMENT lN DEVICESFOR REEFlNC- AND FURLING SAILS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent making part of the same.

To all whom it rmay concern The/nature of my invention consists 1u the construction and arrangement of certain devices for shortening, reetng, and fnrling sails, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

ln order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I willnow proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of a mast with sail. Figure 2 is a View of the sail-holder. Figure 3 is a view of the gait.

Figures 4, 5, and 6 'are similar views as the foregoing, slightly modied. DA representsamast, with boom B, gait C, and sail The sail I) is attached to the mast by automatic sailfholders E E applied to the hoops Gr G, now .generally in use. The sail-holder E is composed of two curved jaws pivoted together, the shank of one of said jaws being permanently secured to the hoop G, while the other is loose, and both Shanks are surrounded by a spiral spring that moves a ring or collarl which keeps them together, closing the jaws. The circular oriiices between the jaws of the sail-holders will be made just large enough to let the usual boltrope pass freely through them, and their rounded points will be, as shown, just far enough apart to let the lsail itself pass freely between them.

The boom B is attached tothe mast by a pivot, H, which allows vof the hoorn being rolled over in order to wind the sail up upon. it, to facilitate which there is a lever attachment, I, as'sliown, at the linner en d of the boom, with holding-gearrepresented by a pawl, a, and ratchet b, the ratchet being attached to the end of the boom.

The top-lift d and sheetsc are attached to a' broad ring, f, or collar of iron, surrounding the outer end of the boom, within which ring or collar the boomitself can freely revolve.

As will be readily seen, the operation of furling is, simply, while onev man lowers away the sail another turns the boom over by means ofthe lever attachment I, which will wind the sail upon the boom.

IVhcther it is desired to fully furlor only to take in a small part of the sail, much time and labor will bc saved by this arrangement the pawl and ratchetwheel holding it firmly from unrolling, so that by this means it is possible to carry'j ust as much sail as the vessel can stand, whereas by the usual method a certain arbitrary quantity must be taken off when desired to reef them, the reef-points being fixed points. The labor of reetiug is also greatly reduced and much exposure to wet is avoided, especially in the case of reel'- ing the forcsail of low-decked vessels, Asuchas are the most of ourcollie'rs, when, at thevtimeof' reeling this sail, the deck is often washed over like a raft.

1n the drawing, on the other mast A', I have represented a similar sail, D', with holders E E, but in this, case the hoops' G G are dispensed with.

One of the shanks of these holders is pivoted in a loop, g, provided with a' headed pin, t', which is inserted in longitudinal gain or recess in the mast, and

held by strips h h, as shown. This construction of the sail-holders may be applied to masts without cutting any gain or recess inthe mast, bypreparing two pieces of metal .or joists and fastening them upon the mast.

In theunder side of the main gaff O is cut a gain 'or channel, in which move similar, but smaller sailholders E, this being, in fact, a continuation of the principle applied to the main mast A'. Through the sail-holders in the gaff C passes a rod, k, attached to the gaif, which rod assists in supporting the sail. This rod is, l1owever,by no means absolutely necessary, asv thesail can be attached without the same.

The object and uscof this device will readily appeal' to practical seamen. In getting under weigh in narrow places it often happens that. a vessel will not answer her helm quick enough to avoid collision with some other craft, or wharf', or grounding on lsome point. For instance, if sho has toe much tendency to come to the wind, or, in "sea parlance, to luff, the pilot or whoever has her in charge has no other resource but to lower the main peak, and the moment shehas fallen off enough all hands are required to sway up main peak. Ther-eas, with my device, instead of letting go the peak-halyards, let go the hauling-out line, and if the head ofthe sail does not of its own weight run down -to the mast, one pull on the hauling-in line will do the work. Then, to set it again. one man can haul it out with ease.

Also, in the case of gibing, it will be but a moments work to run the sail into the head of the mast, and the gaff will not even go over at 'the same time as the boom and lower body of thesail do. vThe gaff can then be dipped under the top-lift d' (or d) and the sail hauled out. j Also, -in running in solually weather, the sails .can be hauled in on the head on all the booms, bringing them at once into triangular or jib-shape, with the broadest part near the deck, with, ofcourse, thc least possible tendency to careen the hull.

On the sail D I have represented a rod, m, running the whole length of the sail and passing through the gai, its upper end being so arranged on the mast that it can freely pass around with the gaff and sail. 'I he object of this rod, it is readily seen, is to dispense with the bolt-rope on 'the inner edge' of 'the sail, so that it will roll vmore neatly on the boom.

Upon t-he outer end'ofjthe main boom B is .the coiiar f', to which the top-lift d is attached. Leading from this collar are two springs, -11 1), connected under the boom, as shown, and to which connection the main sheet 'e' is fastened.

Having thus fully described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is-

Witnesses:

BENJ. W. PICKETT,

A. J. ROBINSON. 

